"He's here." With those words, my wife, Jeanie, got off of the phone in the waiting room at St. Mary's hospital on Saturday afternoon. A labor and delivery nurse had just told her that our daughter, Cara, had given birth to our first grandson, Cameron Riley Hambrick.

It had been an anxious night and morning of waiting through that night's storms and his mother's labor. Jo Hambrick, who is Cameron's great grandmother, and my wife and I hurried to our daughter's room to meet our second grandchild. In her excitement, Jeanie nearly forgot the flowers she had purchased. This was a new experience for us. We weren't able to be in North Carolina for the birth of Cameron's cousin, Katelyn, 19 months earlier. This was special.

Born at 2:13 p.m., Cameron weighed seven pounds twelve ounces and was 21.75 inches long. With his light brown hair, fat little cheeks, and rosy lips I could see both Cara and her husband, Josh, in Cameron's tiny features. Cameron was the most handsome little grandson I could imagine. I knew instantly that God had blessed us with a precious gift.

As Cara lay exhausted in bed holding her newborn son, I thought about her as an infant and some of the events of the intervening years. She had gone from a beautiful little girl to motherhood in what has seemed like only a wisp of time. My "Sweet Pea" had made us grandparents. She had made us very happy.

It wasn't long before the cameras were flashing and the video camera was recording this moment in our family's history. As Cara and Josh took turns holding their son, the three of them were being photographed from nearly every angle. Pictures were still being taken when Grandpa Jack and Step-Grandma Pat Hambrick along with Phil Hambrick, a great uncle, came in to meet Cameron.

All too soon, Cameron was taken to the hospital nursery and we left Cara to rest. Now, until Cameron could come home, we were anxious for the time to fly by. Meanwhile, telephone calls and e-mails went out to relatives and friends to let them know Cameron had made his appearance.

Before visiting Cameron and his parents in the hospital on Sunday, my wife and I attended Mass at St. John's Catholic Church. Some of the young children of the parish received their First Holy Communion at that Mass. I couldn't help but hope that we would be present for similar events in Cameron's life and that we would be able to share priceless moments with him. I already treasure the little time we've spent with him in the hospital.

In recent months, a number of the "older" employees at The Courier have become grandparents or have learned that they will be grandparents again.

There seems to be a unique bond among us. All of us believe that our grandchildren are special. And, they are.

Enjoy your grandchildren as much as I am going to enjoy mine. And, when I see you, pardon me if I brag about my new grandson.